Dear Friends:
Greetings! Here in Washington, DC, temperatures finally started to feel like fall and I got to celebrate one of my favorite days of the year – First Day of the Year to Wear My Black Turtleneck. More seriously, fall and winter also remind us to be safe and extra vigilant about falls prevention. Yes, look great but be safe!
It has been a season of engagement and action here at the National Osteoporosis Foundation and I’m delighted to share some important updates.
On October 15th, we joined with colleagues from the Fracture Prevention Coalition to provide a briefing engaging Members and staffers from the House side to provide bone health education and to ask for support for H.R. 2693: “Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019” to restore funding for DXA tests. As of this writing, there are 42 co-sponsors. We must get this passed in 2019. Good bone health, protective bone health is not a partisan issue – being independent, strong and vital is of interest to all Americans. Please let your representatives know how vitally important it is for people to get tested for their bone health!
On October 16th, we were honored to be one of four organizations selected to provide testimony before the Senate Aging Committee at their hearing titled “Falls Prevention: National, State, and Local Level Solutions to Better Support Seniors,” which focused on the health and economic consequences of falls and explored strategies to prevent and reduce falls-related injuries. I believe many of you know that my Dad, Alvin Thompson, died of complications related to a fall in June 2019 and this issue remains top of mind for me.
From my comments, “NOF strongly agrees with the Committee that a thoughtful analysis of and search for policy solutions to the problem of falls among older Americans has to include an examination of bone health, osteoporosis, and bone fractures. Bone loss and osteoporosis are fundamental underlying contributors to the worst consequences of falls among older Americans – broken and fractured bones, which can lead to disability, loss of independence and even death. In addition, there are instances where an osteoporotic fracture precedes or causes the fall.”
I was privileged to present the findings of the recently released NOF/Milliman report on the Economic and Human Costs of Osteoporotic Fractures. My report highlighted the missed opportunities to reduce secondary fractures due to lack of appropriate screening and treatment and failure to employ model care coordination practices such as fracture liaison services (FLS). In closing, I pressed the Committee to act on NOF’s Bone Health Call to Action announced at the September 11th release of the NOF/Milliman report.
A very important and exciting development for bone health is that the Committee report released at the hearing endorses 3 of these NOF recommendations. The Committee’s report recommendations include:
“The Committee recommends that CMS continue to explore pilot programs for secondary fracture prevention, including home modifications that are paired with supportive services that have been demonstrated to improve utilization of effective screening and therapies, improve outcomes and reduce costs.”
“The Committee recommends that CMS explore avenues that improve access to, and appropriate utilization of, bone density testing.”
“The Committee recommends that the U.S. Department of HHS and other relevant federal departments develop a national education campaign designed to prevent falls and falls-related injuries.”
At the hearing, both Senators Collins and Casey said they intended to press the federal agencies to implement these recommendations. Also, following the hearing Committee staff asked NOF to work with them in developing action steps to follow through and advance the Committee’s recommendations, specifically around a CMS Pilot Project focused on FLS.
It also should be noted that NOF’s reporting of the NOF/Milliman analysis findings captured the attention of the Committee. Several times Chairman Collins said how she was struck by the finding that only 9 percent of women were screened for osteoporosis within 6 months of fracturing a bone. She was incredulous at this failure of the health system to utilize available tools that we know work and reduce fracture rates. Please see our attached infographic that brings these numbers and the facts in clear focus.
It is critical that we engage the House and Senate to pass “Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2019”. Please take a few minutes to add your name and voice to this work. Click here to send an email.
Thank you for your continued support!
Yours in purpose and progress,
Elizabeth Thompson
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Advocate